Infant botulism: Why is honey a concern?
Is it true that honey can cause infant botulism?
- No name / No state given
Answer
Yes, honey can cause infant botulism. Honey is a known source of bacterial spores that produce Clostridium botulinum bacteria. When ingested by infants, these bacteria make a toxin that can cause infant botulism, a rare and serious form of food poisoning. For this reason, infants under 12 months of age should never be fed honey.
Infant botulism affects a baby's nervous system and can result in death. Most babies with infant botulism, however, do recover. Signs and symptoms of infant botulism include:
- Persistent constipation
- Floppy arms, legs and neck
- Weak cry due to muscle weakness
- Weak sucking and poor feeding
- Tired all the time (lethargy)
- Difficulty breathing
Botulism spores may also be found in low-acid home-canned foods and corn syrup. For this reason, you should avoid feeding these foods to infants.


Home 
